On September 20, 2015, Viola Davis became the first Black woman to win the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, for 'How to Get Away with Murder.'
On September 20, 2015, at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards, Viola Davis made history as the first Black woman to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, for her role as defense attorney Annalise Keating in ABC's How to Get Away with Murder.
In her acceptance speech, Davis delivered a powerful message referencing Harriet Tubman and highlighting the lack of opportunities for women of color in Hollywood, declaring, 'The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity.' The speech was widely praised as one of the most important and candid moments in Emmy history, sparking national conversation about diversity and representation in television.
This achievement was historically significant because, in the 67-year history of the award at that time, no Black woman had ever won in the lead drama category. Davis's win shattered a long-standing barrier and highlighted systemic inequities in the roles offered to Black actresses in prestige television.
Her portrayal of Annalise Keating—a complex, flawed, and commanding legal mind—also broke ground for its depiction of a dark-skinned Black woman as a sexual, intellectual, and emotionally complex lead character on a major network drama, a rarity in American television at the time.
This win was a pivotal step toward Davis achieving the rare 'Triple Crown of Acting' (Oscar, Emmy, Tony), and it remains one of the most cited milestones in discussions of diversity in the entertainment industry.